House of the Dragon season 3
Season of streaming series
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The third season of the American fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon premiered on HBO on June 21, 2026, in the United States, and will consist of eight episodes. The season covers the events of the book Fire & Blood, a prequel novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin. The season was ordered on June 13, 2024, three days before the premiere of the second season. Ryan Condal serves as the sole showrunner for the season. The third season was filmed from March to October 2025.
- Matt Smith
- Emma D'Arcy
- Olivia Cooke
- James Norton
- Steve Toussaint
- Fabien Frankel
- Matthew Needham
- Sonoya Mizuno
- Tom Glynn-Carney
- Ewan Mitchell
- Harry Collett
- Phia Saban
- Bethany Antonia
- Jefferson Hall
- Abubakar Salim
- Clinton Liberty
- Phoebe Campbell
- Kurt Egyiawan
- Freddie Fox
- Gayle Rankin
- Kieran Bew
- Tom Bennett
- Joplin Sibtain
- Ellora Torchia
- Tommy Flanagan
- Simon Russell Beale
- Dan Fogler
| House of the Dragon | |
|---|---|
| Season 3 | |
Promotional poster | |
| Showrunner | Ryan Condal |
| Starring |
|
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Release | |
| Original network | HBO |
| Original release | June 21, 2026 – present |
| Season chronology | |
The season follows in the aftermath of the second season's final episodes, in which the war known as the "Dance of Dragons" between Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother Aegon II Targaryen continues, causing House Targaryen to become further divided. Aegon is supported by the Green Council and his mother Alicent Hightower, while Rhaenyra is supported by the Black Council and her husband and uncle Daemon Targaryen, both sides seeking allies from the great houses of Westeros and fighting for the support of their armies to claim their rightful positions to the Iron Throne.
House of the Dragon features a large ensemble cast, including established actors such as Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Fabien Frankel, Matthew Needham, and Sonoya Mizuno. The season premiere was watched by 21.5 million viewers across both linear and streaming platforms worldwide upon its release. A fourth season was ordered in November 2025.[1]
Episodes
| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by [2] | Written by [3] | Original release date [4] | U.S. viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 | 1 | "Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood" | Loni Peristere | Ryan Condal | June 21, 2026 | 0.86[5] | |
|
Rhaena mounts the dragon Sheepstealer and eventually bonds with him. Aegon and Larys are captured by guards loyal to Rhaenyra. Larys reveals their identities, believing they will make valuable hostages. Alicent finds Aemond on the Iron Throne, who claims Aegon has abdicated. She urges him to seize Harrenhal. Alicent forges a letter from Aemond and sends it to Ormund Hightower to delay the Hightower army. Daemon defeats Jason Lannister's forces and gains new allies, the Winter Wolves led by Roderick Dustin, who delivers Jason's severed head. Addam, Hugh, and Ulf wait to ambush Aemond at Harrenhal, but Alys urges them to leave. The Triarchy engages the Velaryon fleet at the Gullet and sacks High Tide. Lohar breaks from the battle to pursue Corlys. Jace has Rhaenyra confined to keep her from joining the battle. He and Baela fly their dragons, Vermax and Moondancer, to stop the Triarchy. Corlys navigates a rocky pass with Lohar in pursuit. Lohar throws Tyland overboard and rams Corlys's ship, which breaks apart. Corlys falls overboard, and Alyn kills Lohar. Rhaena arrives on Sheepstealer, who attacks ships indiscriminately. Vermax is shot by a scorpion bolt and drowns. Jace is killed by Triarchy bowmen. | |||||||
| 20 | 2 | "Queen's Landing" | Clare Kilner | Sara Hess | June 28, 2026 | 0.97[6] | |
|
Addam, Hugh, and Ulf pursue the Triarchy's remnants at the Gullet. Baela brings Jace's body to Dragonstone, leaving Rhaenyra emotionally distraught over her son's death. Jeyne Arryn asks a guilt-stricken Rhaena to leave the Vale, but Rhaena offers to protect it with Sheepstealer. Aegon and Larys escape captivity. Addam finds Corlys, who offers to legitimize Alyn. Alicent meets Luthor Largent, commander of the City Watch, and asks him to surrender the city to Rhaenyra. Jasper Wylde discovers this and attempts to rape her, but Orwyle has him arrested. Daemon receives word of Jacaerys's death and returns to Dragonstone. Rhaenyra asks him to learn the identity of Sheepstealer's dragonrider. Aemond reaches Harrenhal on Vhagar, kills Simon Strong, is injured, and begs Alys for help. Rhaenyra, Daemon, Hugh, and Ulf arrive in King's Landing on their dragons. Luthor reveals his loyalty to Daemon and arrests Hightower supporters. Rhaenyra demands Aegon, but learns he has fled the city. Daemon receives an imprisoned Otto as a gift from Larys. An emotional Rhaenyra beheads Otto, and Daemon beheads Jasper. Rhaenyra ascends the Iron Throne. Alicent, Helaena, and Jaehaera's escape attempt fails, and they are brought before Rhaenyra and Otto's decapitated body. | |||||||
| 21 | 3 | "Rhaenyra Triumphant" | Clare Kilner | Sara Hess | July 5, 2026 | 0.89[7] | |
|
Ormund reluctantly submits to Daemon, who takes Daeron Targaryen hostage and tells Rhaenyra they should execute him. Corlys informs Rhaenyra that the treasury has been emptied. Alicent suggests declaring Aegon dead, and Rhaenyra agrees. The High Septon refuses to anoint Rhaenyra without proof of Aegon's death and warns her not to antagonize the Faith. Corlys names Alyn his heir and asks Rhaenyra to legitimize him and Addam. Rhaenyra hears out petitioners and learns that the wealthy have starved the smallfolk. Daemon knights Addam, Hugh, and Ulf, but Rhaenyra does not legitimize Addam. Rhaenyra hosts a banquet for the city's nobility, serves them rats, and has the City Watch raid their storehouses for hoarded food. Daemon unsuccessfully urges Rhaenyra to seize the world with their dragons. She later addresses the smallfolk and distributes food with Mysaria. Corlys chastises Rhaenyra for not legitimizing Addam despite her own children's parentage and calls them bastards. Rhaenyra allows Alicent to see Daeron, but Alicent does not recognize him. The boy reveals that Ormund forced him to pose as Daeron. A dragonkeeper informs Rhaenyra that Ormund has seized the town of Tumbleton and is keeping Daeron's young dragon within its walls. | |||||||
| 22 | 4 | "Tumbleton" | Clare Kilner | David Hancock | July 12, 2026 | TBD | |
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Hightower soldiers harass Tumbleton's smallfolk. A soldier assaults Kat, Hugh Hammer's wife, but her brother defends her, and the soldier is punished. Daeron learns that Ormund plans to make him king. Ormund then forces Daeron to execute Kat's brother. Aegon and Larys find Sunfyre's corpse, which Aegon mourns. They reach Rook's Rest, now overrun with refugees, and are required to clean the latrines. Aegon protests and is forced to humiliate himself. Criston and Gwayne reach Harrenhal, where Alys claims Aemond is gone. Alyn informs Rhaenyra that Corlys has left to combat the Triarchy's remnants. Orwyle cautions Rhaenyra against removing the High Septon. Mysaria has Rhaenyra make Torrhen Manderly the Master of Coin, so he takes the blame for the city's financial problems. Rhaenyra sends Hugh and Ulf to observe Tumbleton. Ulf tells Rhaenyra that the smallfolk are spreading rumors of her children's illegitimacy. She sends the City Watch to find those responsible. After Daemon receives gold from Jeyne, his dragon Caraxes leads him to Rhaena and Sheepstealer. Daemon attempts to ease Rhaena's guilt over Jace's death, but she flees. He then brings Rhaenyra the head of whom he claims was Sheepstealer's rider, but she remains dissatisfied. Alicent discovers that Helaena is pregnant. | |||||||
| 23 | 5 | TBA | Nina Lopez-Corrado | Philippa Goslett | July 19, 2026 | TBD | |
| 24 | 6 | TBA | Loni Peristere | David Hancock & Shyam Popat | July 26, 2026 | TBD | |
| 25 | 7 | TBA | Nina Lopez-Corrado | Philippa Goslett & Zenzele Price | August 2, 2026 | TBD | |
| 26 | 8 | TBA | Andrij Parekh | Ryan Condal & Ti Mikkel | August 9, 2026 | TBD | |
Cast and characters
Main
- Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen[8]
- Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen[8]
- Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower[8]
- James Norton as Ormund Hightower[9]
- Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon[8]
- Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole[8]
- Matthew Needham as Larys Strong[8]
- Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria[8]
- Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II Targaryen[8]
- Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen[8]
- Harry Collett as Jacaerys "Jace" Velaryon[8]
- Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen[8]
- Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen[8]
- Jefferson Hall as identical twins: Jason Lannister and Tyland Lannister[8]
- Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull[8]
- Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull[8]
- Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen[8]
- Kurt Egyiawan as Orwyle[8]
- Freddie Fox as Gwayne Hightower[8]
- Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers[8]
- Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer[8]
- Tom Bennett as Ulf White[8]
- Joplin Sibtain as Jon Roxton[10]
- Ellora Torchia as Kat[11]
- Tommy Flanagan as Roderick Dustin[12]
- Simon Russell Beale as Simon Strong
- Dan Fogler as Torrhen Manderly[12]
Recurring
- Tom Cullen as Luthor Largent[10]
Guest
- Paul Kennedy as Jasper Wylde
- Max Wrottesley as Lorent Marbrand[13]
- Phil Daniels as Gerardys[13]
- Nicholas Jones as Bartimos Celtigar[13]
- Abigail Thorn as Sharako Lohar[14]
- Archie Barnes as Oscar Tully[15]
- Ben Dilloway as Soren
- Vincent Regan as Rickard Thorne[13]
- Annie Shapero as Alysanne Blackwood[16]
- Amanda Collin as Jeyne Arryn
- Michelle Bonnard as Sylvi
- James Doherty as Cley
- Samson Kayo as Mujja
- Graeme McKnight as Paxter Strong
- Paul Valentine as Germund Strong
- Paul Clayton as Lord Merryweather
- Miriam Lucia as Lady Fell (uncredited)
- Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower (uncredited)[8]
- Jordon Stevens as Elinda Massey
- Simon Chandler as High Septon Eustace
- Patrice Naiambana as the Dragonkeeper Elder
- Charlie Gordon as the false Daeron Targaryen
- Peter Polycarpou as Lord Gaunt
- Abigail Thaw as Lady Gaskell
- Peter Sandys-Clarke as Lord Bywater
- Benjamin Evan Ainsworth as Daeron Targaryen
- Barry Sloane as Adrian Redfort[10]
- Oliver Coopersmith as Janos
- Adam Brown as Glendon Footly
- Alexandra Moen as Sharis Footly
- Lewis MacDougall as Tom Tangletongue
- Douglas Russell as Garrick of Whitegrove
- Abhin Galeya as Leo
Production
Development
On his personal blog in December 2023, George R. R. Martin stated that the third and fourth seasons were being written.[17] In June 2024, ahead of the second-season premiere, the series was renewed for a third season.[18] Like the second season, the third will consist of eight episodes.[8]
Casting
In January 2025, James Norton was announced to have joined the cast for the third season as Ormund Hightower.[9] In March 2025, Tommy Flanagan and Dan Fogler were announced to have joined the cast as Roderick Dustin and Torrhen Manderly respectively.[12] In April 2025, Tom Cullen, Joplin Sibtain, and Barry Sloane were announced to have joined the cast as Luthor Largent, Jon Roxton, and Adrian Redfort respectively.[10] In July 2025, Annie Shapero was announced to have joined the cast as Alysanne Blackwood.[16]
Filming
Filming for the third season began on March 21, 2025, at Leavesden Studios, Watford,[19] and concluded by that October.[20]
Release
Broadcast
The third season premiered on June 21, 2026.[21]
International broadcast
In New Zealand, the series is distributed by Sky's SoHo TV channel and Neon streaming service.[22] In the Philippines, SKY broadcasts the show via its main cable television services and other digital streaming platforms.[23] In India, JioHotstar distributes the show.[24] In the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the series airs on Sky Atlantic and its accompanying streaming service Now.[25] In Canada, House of the Dragon is available on Bell Media's Crave streaming service and its HBO linear channel.[26] In Australia, the series is available for streaming on Binge and Foxtel.[27]
Reception
Critical response
On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the third season holds an approval rating of 92% based on 105 reviews, with an average rating of 7.75/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The fate of Westeros comes to a head in a reinvigorated and riveting third season of House of the Dragon, complete with wicked new characters and more thrilling battles, crafting a punchy prequel that matches the expectations of its predecessor."[28] On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the third season received a score of 76 out of 100 based on 26 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[29]
Viewership
The Season 3 premiere saw 21.5 million viewers across both linear and streaming platforms worldwide.[30]